Community-based business management focused on vicuña conservation and its impact on socio-economic development in a National Reserve of Peru

This study analyzes the influence of community-based business management, focused on vicuña conservation, on socioeconomic development in a National Reserve in Peru. Using a quantitative approach and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), a model integrating operations management (Oa), resource management (Ro), and environmental impact (Ia) was evaluated as determinants of business performance (De) and social welfare (Sc). The results reveal that the model has high explanatory power, with an R² of 0.63 for performance and 0.59 for socioeconomic development. Environmental impact was identified as the strongest predictor of community welfare (β = 0.420, t = 8.115), followed by operations management on organizational performance (β = 0.350, t = 7.778). All hypotheses were accepted with significance levels of p < 0.001, demonstrating that efficiency in vicuña fiber harvesting (chaccu) and sound environmental governance reduce the economic vulnerability of Andean populations. It is concluded that vicuña conservation is not only an ecological imperative but also a strategic asset that, under an organized community-based business structure, allows for poverty alleviation and the sustainability of livelihoods. The study provides empirical evidence for the design of public policies that harmonize biodiversity preservation with economic growth.